Tyson Fury has some intriguing insights about the potential matchup between Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder, and it’s a topic that stirs strong opinions among boxing fans. Fury, who has faced both fighters in the ring, understands the dynamics at play better than anyone else.
In total, Fury has competed against Usyk and Wilder five times, with his two encounters against Usyk resulting in narrow losses by points in 2024. Conversely, Fury's bouts with Wilder have shown a different outcome; their first fight ended in a controversial draw, but Fury decisively claimed victory in both of their subsequent meetings by knockout.
This series of fights didn’t bode well for Wilder, who found himself on a downward spiral afterward, suffering defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. However, this slump hasn’t deterred Usyk from pursuing a fight with Wilder, aiming for a confrontation in 2026.
In light of this, Fury recently shared his thoughts on DAZN Fight Club, suggesting that Agit Kabayel, who is currently the WBC interim champion, should be the one vying for a bout with Usyk. He believes that Usyk is primarily interested in fighting Wilder for the sake of his marketability, not because of competitive ranking. Fury stated, "Agit’s [the] interim champion, so they should compel Usyk to either defend his title or vacate it. Personally, I doubt Usyk will engage with any of the names in the WBC rankings, as those fights don't offer substantial financial incentives. Why would he get paid to face Agit Kabayel? Or Lawrence Okolie? It simply doesn’t make sense.
Once you've experienced high-stakes matches like those against me, returning to fight for significantly less isn’t appealing. Thus, I doubt Usyk will put his title on the line against any of these contenders. That’s why he’s leaning towards a fight with someone like Wilder, who has a big name and a fan base. Just as he vacated the WBO title, it seems likely he’ll need to relinquish the WBC as well, allowing Agit to be elevated to world champion in the process. He can then defend his title against the winner of the matchup between Lawrence Okolie and Moses Itauma.
Kabayel recently secured a victory by knocking out Damian Knyba in just three rounds to maintain his status as the WBC interim heavyweight champion in Germany. Despite this impressive performance, the anticipation for a Usyk vs. Wilder fight continues to dominate the headlines as the preferred next event.
